Research Design and Implementation
Research Design and Implementation
A research design is the detailed blueprint used to guide the implementation of a research study toward the realization of its objectives.
The process of designing a research study involves many interrelated decisions. The most significant decision is the choice of research approach, for this determines how the information will be obtained. Typical questions at this stage are: Should we rely on secondary sources such as the census? What is more appropriate, an exploratory approach with group discussions or a survey? Is a mail, telephone, or personal interview survey better for this problem?
Tactical research decisions are made once the research approach has been chosen. Here the focus is on the specific measurements to be made oi questions to be asked, the structure and length of the questionnaire, anc the procedure for choosing a sample to be interviewed. These tactical deci sions also are constrained by time and budget availability. So, before ; study can be implemented, the estimated costs must be compared to tb anticipated value.
To design something also means to ensure that the pieces fit togethei The achievement of this fit between objectives, research approach, and n search tactics is inherently an iterative process in which earlier decisions are constantly reconsidered in light of subsequent decisions. This may mean a revision of the research objectives as new insights are gained into the complexities of the population to be sampled, or a reassessment of the research approach in light of realistic cost estimates. Consequently, few researchers find they have designed their research studies in the neat and linear fashion that is implied by Figure 3-1; however, this figure is a useful overview of major research design topics to be introduced in this chapter. Also in this chapter we will discuss the research proposal as a vehicle for summarizing significant decisions made during the research design process.
A research design is the detailed blueprint used to guide the implementation of a research study toward the realization of its objectives.
The process of designing a research study involves many interrelated decisions. The most significant decision is the choice of research approach, for this determines how the information will be obtained. Typical questions at this stage are: Should we rely on secondary sources such as the census? What is more appropriate, an exploratory approach with group discussions or a survey? Is a mail, telephone, or personal interview survey better for this problem?
Tactical research decisions are made once the research approach has been chosen. Here the focus is on the specific measurements to be made oi questions to be asked, the structure and length of the questionnaire, anc the procedure for choosing a sample to be interviewed. These tactical deci sions also are constrained by time and budget availability. So, before ; study can be implemented, the estimated costs must be compared to tb anticipated value.
To design something also means to ensure that the pieces fit togethei The achievement of this fit between objectives, research approach, and n search tactics is inherently an iterative process in which earlier decisions are constantly reconsidered in light of subsequent decisions. This may mean a revision of the research objectives as new insights are gained into the complexities of the population to be sampled, or a reassessment of the research approach in light of realistic cost estimates. Consequently, few researchers find they have designed their research studies in the neat and linear fashion that is implied by Figure 3-1; however, this figure is a useful overview of major research design topics to be introduced in this chapter. Also in this chapter we will discuss the research proposal as a vehicle for summarizing significant decisions made during the research design process.
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